Chapter 24.2- Doom Days

“I am” he said in a tone that showed that he was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“Good. That means you have some common sense to you. That also means that you’re desperate. You’ve come here in the hopes that I will give you the scoop of the decade- the means to make something of yourself. Maybe I will. But definitely not for free.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about” He said.

“Really? Then I’ll just be on my way then” I replied and turned around. One. Two. Three-

“Wait, wait. Please.” He called after me.

I turned around to face him again.

“I haven’t any gold” I put on my most insulted expression at that.

“Why would I ever need your gold?”

“What do you want then?”

“You will owe me three favors I will cash in at three moments of my choosing and in return I will answer three questions of yours”

“But-” he began, and stopped himself once I made as if to turn around.

“No negotiation please. I will not haggle on this” I pressed.

“Yes sir” He said with a gulp. He’d come here expecting a boy, and he was quickly beginning to realise that I was far more than he bargained for. If he had a lick of sense, he’d walk away now, but he wouldn’t. He’d become my tool and sell his soul all for a glimpse of the success he feels has been denied to him only by an accident of birth. He’d made the mistake of meeting my eyes, and I could flip through his intentions like pages of a book. That had been why I’d confirmed his muggleborn nature. Muggleborn meant next to no chance of having good occlumency, if any.

“Now ask your questions.” I said, and now that he was limited to three, the man that had been so prolific early on suddenly found his tongue in the possession of a cat.

“I haven’t the entire day” I said, intentionally emulating his earlier phrasing.

“Okay. Um. So…what.. no, um. How…” he was flipping through his notes so quickly that I was impressed that he could even read anything from that.

“Tick tock”

“Do you think Britain should go to War in Magical Asia?”

“I think that Britain has been insulted. I think that our people have been killed. I think that Japan must pay for that, however, I am not certain that war is the solution. I was born at the end of a war, and never got to consciously experience one, but I did lose my parents to war. The people in charge, Minister Fudge, Headmaster Dumbledore, and the Wizengamot must weigh the situation carefully and come to a careful decision as they know more about the facts than I do. All I’d ask is that we not be sent into an unnecessary war and that all alternatives be considered.” I said, choosing my words as carefully as I could. I knew that people would read into that what they would, which was well enough. Expressing myself in one way or the other would alienate me from the other crowd for no good reason.